Is UE4 alright for a one man team?

Community Community & Industry Discussion
1

Hi, i am wondering if UE4 is usable for a one man team, because i’m not really ready for a team yet. The reason i’m not ready for a team yet, is because i don’t think i’m skilled enough.

I am coming from Unity, and it is really good because it supports C# which is the language i use, i know C# is not supported in UE4 unless you use a wrapper.

Anyway, here’s my questions:

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1). Would UE4 be suitable for a one man team(Myself)?

2). Since i can’t use C# for creating gameplay, should i learn C++? (I don’t like visual scripting, i feel more comfortable with code. So Blueprints might not be the best for me)

3). I’m coming from Unity 3D because i would like to try something new, and i have been using Unity for many years. I am going to move from Unity 3D to UE4 if it suits my needs, so would it be a good idea to start learning UE4 even though i am alone?

4). If i should learn C++(Obviously i don’t have any choice, as i don’t like visual scripting), do you have any great online course in mind, or a video series? Because i’m sure i learn best from videos, whenever i tried a book i always got bored.
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UE4 looks really good, so i really hope this is something.

(I tried to learn C++ before, and it was complicated, but that was when i didn’t have experience in any programming language. But now i have some experience in C# so it looks familiar, and it might be easier to learn, but getting used to the things that is being automated in C# but where you have to manually do it in C++ is going to be a pain in the *** for me to learn. Oh and i want to be a Game/Software Developer in the future, so it might be a good idea to learn C++ too i guess. Right now i know some Procedural PHP, Object Oriented PHP, and C#. I would say my experience in C# is close to Intermediate.)

(Began to get experience with programming after a few years of using Unity 3D, which was the first game engine i used.)
(I’m 17, but 18 in 2015)

I think that’s everything :slight_smile:

PS. Sorry if there is spelling errors, it is really late and i’m tired :slight_smile:

2

personally think c# is a pain in da … but that’s just personal opinion, not really a good coder anyways.
I feel sort of the same way as far as being a 1-man team, I know most of the others here are the same, I’d think as well.

visual scripting, haven’t written a thing except to fill out what variables or events etc I need, excluding writing what I want in the UMG HUDs. Excluding that haven’t written anything in C++ yet. lol
you can create a game completely out of BluePrints, altho it is continuously evolving, which is good.
I just use BluePrints :slight_smile:

you should check out some of the tutorials they have in the docs, and they are working on even more docs for C++ coding, tho’ there is already some. also search on YouTube for all their videos & video tutorials to get a feel for UE4 and what to expect.

unless you’re in a bind moneywise, you can sub for a month $19 & check it out, download the current build off of github, or just use the editor. either way, you can keep using the engine even when sub is over.
after you make $3k during a quarter per game, you pay a 5% royalty to Unreal/ Epic, but check the license on that, all that info is on their site to be checked out. (you should always check licenses closely for yourself)

good luck on whatever you choose

ps: but just remember that it will take some effort on your part, don’t expect to download everything you need & have everything done for you, like w/ those ‘other’ guys. :wink:

3

While I’m just getting started with UE4 here are my thoughts on your questions:

  1. Absolutely. The mobile game samples tappy chicken and swing ninja were made by one man teams. Also you can use items from the marketplace or other places to fill in the gaps in what you have. While the marketplace certainly doesn’t have as many options as Unity, its new and growing and anything I’ve tried so far seems to be really good quality. So if you can’t model, get models and work on other things - same for audio, texture or whatever.

  2. I can program in C++ but really like blueprint. There are obvious differences in visual programming compared to code but blueprint has to be one of the best visual programming implementations that I’ve worked with. Anyway you might be able to use C# anyway if you prefer code: ://mono-ue.github.io/

  3. Yes, as ayretek pointed out you can grab the code and the engine for $19, cancel your subscription and work on that version for as long as you like to get your head around it. Even though I’m dipping in and out and not making the most of it due to work commitments I’m keeping my subscription active because there are regular updates that I like to keep up with - but you don’t have to pay every month and you don’t lose anything you already had if you stop (unlike Unity’s subscription).

  4. Can’t help here sorry, I’m the opposite and don’t like to learn from videos and prefer books. In fact its been a bit of a hurdle for me with so much of the Unreal Engine tutorials in video form, but I’ll get there :). As above you might not need to learn C++ if you prefer C#.

Have fun!

Nick

4

@NonSense309

This is where I have been learning C++…there is a free trial…has books and video…
://www.gameinstitute/

I hope this helps…

5

Well UE4 is just a hop skip and a jump up from any engine.

The only real issue is figuring out where all of the buttons are and what they do.

6

Massive learning curve but once you’re there you’re good. I’m doing everything by myself, completely in Visual Scripting

The benefit of the Visual Scripting isn’t the VS itself but everything it does for you, variables created instantly, reference handling, and you never have to worry about boilerplate, or spelling a thing wrong, or etc.

In some cases it’s a bit slower if you’re a faster typer or if you like to be really tricky with your code, other than that it’s ideal.

7

NonSense309, Look at this: ://mono-ue.github.io/
I’m also to don’t want learn C++.

8

Don’t worry, i’m not that kind of guy :slight_smile:
I can’t get myself to use assets i didn’t make, or scripts. So i make my own 3D Models with Blender, but i’m still pretty newbie at it :slight_smile:

@Everyone

Thanks, i think i will give UE4 a try sometime tomorrow or later today :slight_smile:
And i will try out the Mono so i can use C#, but i will probably have to learn C++ anyway at some point.

9

I’m doing it.

10

after a year of working with ue4 i would say no not really.
yes in theory but there is so much to do and so much to learn you game will take ages to make or will be really basic.
find out what you are good at and get at least another person to help with the rest.

11

Well it can’t be any harder than with Unity 3D, it’s just another language and game engine :slight_smile: And C++ i’m willing to learn because it is something i need in the future for my dream career, and i’m not ready for a team yet, but i will be at some point because it is required if you want to work in a company.
And how long it takes to make a game, it really depends on how experienced the user are. But you are right, 2 people is better than 1. Everything takes longer no matter what game engine it is, if you are making a game alone, and how much experience the user has with the engine.

But i subscribed, now i’m going to play around with the engine a little, and get going with C++ :slight_smile:

12

1). Would UE4 be suitable for a one man team(Myself)?

Yes and No. If you do not want to create the next Skyrim, you’re ok on your own. Don’t underestimate the “work” part of creating a game. That means: a lot of boring, hard, long hours of work. Be realistic about what you can do, what you can’t do, what you can learn and for what you will need help from other people.

2). Since i can’t use C# for creating gameplay, should i learn C++? (I don’t like visual scripting, i feel more comfortable with code. So Blueprints might not be the best for me)

If you want to program UE4, C++ is a must. But don’t dismiss Blueprints. Use them. They are cool. Really. Make everything in Blueprints, this will help you understand the engine. Later, replace parts in C++, if you need to. You’ll see that you really do not need a lot of C++.

3). I’m coming from Unity 3D because i would like to try something new, and i have been using Unity for many years. I am going to move from Unity 3D to UE4 if it suits my needs, so would it be a good idea to start learning UE4 even though i am alone?

Youtube, Forums, Answerhub. I know it helps, I did it myself. Start with the beginner tutorials (even if you think it is boring).

4). If i should learn C++(Obviously i don’t have any choice, as i don’t like visual scripting), do you have any great online course in mind, or a video series? Because i’m sure i learn best from videos, whenever i tried a book i always got bored.

There are many places on the web to learn C++ . Again, don’t dismiss Blueprints. Give them a try.
You want to create a game - create a game, don’t learn C++ :slight_smile:

13

it is harder than unity, on top of that learning c++ will take some time, on top of that you have to learn the unreal ‘extras’ in the code.
on top of that you have to learn the ins and outs of the editor, blueprints, materials, particles, animation and everything inbetween.
then if you want to make your own assets you have to learn a modeling program, blender is the free option.

it is not impossible though i dont want to put you off at all, on the contrary. im just trying to be realistic.
i have made several games on my own with ue3. it took a long time to learn how to do things, then an even longer time to make everything and get it working.
just be prepared for more hard work than you could ever imagine, stick at it and you will get somewhere eventually.

if you get stuck with something specific the community here is something special and many good people will gladly help you.
the very best of luck :slight_smile:

14

1). I don’t underestimate the “work” part of creating a game, i see some people did/do that on the Unity Forum, and alot of people complains about bugs and say they should make games bug, and glitch free. But that is very very hard, if not impossible :slight_smile:

2). I guess i’ll try Blueprints sooner or later ^^

4). Yeah there is many places to learn C++ indeed.

Thanks everyone for the replies/answers :slight_smile:

15

It will take time and hard work indeed, but i do have quite a lot of time to learn, as i’m only 17.
I do already use Blender, and i can make my own assets, but nothing complex yet.
And i will hopefully not give up on this, because i have been wanting to do programming and get a job where i use it since i was 12 :slight_smile:

Oh and i learned C# through Unity and then i learned how to use C# to create applications, i will maybe do the same with C++ maybe. :wink:

16

It’s perfectly fine to use UE4 solo.
C++ is not that hard as some people are trying to make it. Yes you will run into problems, like last time I had with dereferencing TSharedPtr<TArray<FString>>>, solution was this:



(*Item)[Index]

That can look scary, compared to C#, but few seconds on IRC and someone helped me out.

But if you are not going to extend editor, you are not likely to run into scary part of C++.

The think about C++ in UE4 to remember is:

  1. It doesn’t use STL.
  2. It have it’s own library of standard funcionality.
  3. On top of that you have pretty advanced code reflection, which is accessible for UObject derived classes.
  4. And you have garbage collector (;.

Aside from that learning C++ is still well worth it. There are more C# programmers than there are sands on beaches. But finding even average C++ coder can be hard task.

I’m not even good at coding (or so I think at least), and yet I managed to get my way around.

But as mentioned above, you must set yourself realistic goals. Creating next awesome sandbox-fps-rpg-survial game is beyond one person. While I’m pretty sure that with enough determination, you could code everything by yourself (especially once you learn API and Framework on UE4), that there are things you won’t have time for (like even simple graphics).

That is also important thing. There are lots, and I mean LOTS of build in functionality in UE4 to build upon or extend from. Most problems you might think of, are already solved for you (especially when you writing editor tools, to make your work easier), and even problem you might be aware you will have are solved.

The problem is in finding all those functionality and being aware it exist in first place. But then you can always ask on answerhub and some nice Epic Developer will point you in right direction (;.

17

Hmm, I don’t see why not. I personally made a hack n’ slash in Unity in about 4 months… Biggest part is artwork, it takes forever if it’s to look good. Using modular systems and re-use with vertex painting is probably a good idea, or swapping out materials.

If you’re a one man band, you can with a lot of work make the next Skyrim with UE4. Just depends how much money you have, even as a team of 15 (broken into six artists, five coders, one manager, one HR with me and a PR guy) we still buy a lot of tools / asset packs which we modify.

Extensively use things like quixel, use autorig solutions, faceFX for facial animation, we have Modo for speed modelling, maya LT 2015 for more complex meshes and animation, agisoft photoscan for some mesh capture. SpeedTree for foliage, for water / rivers etc. we’ll just buy and tweak most likely. Mocap we have flex3 cameras and a couple of PS4 camera’s too… Probably more stuff lying about to be honest…

I had most of this stuff even before I started an indie, when I was working on my own stuff. Apart from that if you are dreaming big just scale back and make design decisions based upon what you can get away with. Like we dropped the TOD system due to performance issues, were constantly splitting the terrain up and trying to keep within the bounds of the engine so we don’t have to make bespoke solutions.

Apart from all that, UE4 pretty much has all tools covered. The only thing left is UI / AI / sound / Main character skills and storyline (all the cut scene goodness).

I will admit, we did get a lot further faster in Unity. But on the whole, the game does look better…

18

I am a one man team and I think that UE4 is the best option out there for building games. Yes, it’s got a big learning curve but so will any other engine. However, I will mention that there isn’t another engine that has the quality support that UE4 does. Weekly Twitch streams, Specific Tutorial or Topic Streams, Outstanding forum support and significant updates on a regular basis. Ask any Cryengine user to rate these area’s for you and see what they say.

19
  1. Absolutely yes! :slight_smile: You will learn plenty of stuff in a very short period of time, because of the documentation, the friendly community, youtube tutorials and the fact, that the engine is really easy to use. The first two weeks in the engine will be pretty annoying (till you get used to the UI,…), but after that it should run very smoothly :wink:
  2. Even when you are alone it will be easy to learn the engine because of the upper mentioned stuff -> but of course you will learn much faster when you are in a small team, because it makes more fun, you can help each other,…

When you have any problems, make sure to post them into the forum so that we can help you. :smiley: